Flora and the Bee
by Dis-Moi
Summary: This story starts ten years after Caroline's Holiday in NYC ends. Flora is now 12 and exhibits all the best parts of her Mums. Flora, Caroline, William, Ginika and Gillian are gratefully borrowed from Sally Wainwright, Red Productions and the BBC. The characters of Nicola and Angela are friends of mine. They haven't met Sally W yet. Part 2 of a trilogy.
1. Chapter 1

"Mum! Where are my shoes?"

"In your closet," Caroline called up to Flora as she moved to the Aga to prevent the pasta from boiling over. "Dinner's almost ready. You have to eat before we go." Flora would get lost in her daydreams and forget to eat if her parents would let her. She was already so thin she couldn't afford to be any thinner.

Just a few minutes later, the happy twelve year old bounded into the kitchen and plopped down on a stool at the counter. "Where's Nikki?"

"She's on her way home. She had a late meeting but will be here in time to go with us," reassured Caroline as she placed a dinner plate and a glass of milk on the counter in front of her.

With reckless abandon, Flora sprinkled grated cheese all over her plate, splashing a healthy amount on the counter in the process. Caroline couldn't help but grin at the enthusiasm she had as she dug into her dinner. She usually made short pasta for Flora but all they had in the pantry was long spaghetti. Flora wasn't yet fully adept at twirling the long strands on a fork using her spoon as a backstop but Caroline loved watching her try. She'd stick her tongue out a little as if it helped her coordination as she tried to get all the ends to stick to the tightly wound bits. She seemed so grown up and independent at times and yet at other times she showed signs of still being their little girl. Her childhood was flying by far too fast for Caroline's comfort.

She stood back and took in Flora's outfit of choice and wondered how many outfits were left strewn across her room before she settled on this pink and purple ensemble. It looked adorable on her and she knew it was one of her favorites.

"Slow down or you're going to get pasta sauce on your top," she cautioned, cringing at the thought of having to go through the process of picking out yet another outfit as it could make them late.

"So how was school today?"

"It was okay. How was your day?"

"It was made better when you got home. I had the day off to work on clearing out the spare room to get it ready for Gigi to move in."

"I wish Gigi could come tonight," Flora said mournfully. 'Gigi' is what Flora called Ginika when she was first learning to speak and the name stuck.

"So does she. But the good news is that she should be moving in with us at the end of next week if the doctor releases her."

"Are we going to see her this weekend?"

"I'm going to go tomorrow over lunch but I'll take you on Saturday if you'd like to go. She'd love to see you and hear all about tonight." Gigi had been moved to a care home from the hospital after she broke her hip; she developed diabetes a couple of years earlier and it was complicating her recovery.

"Will you run some words with me?" Flora asked between bites.

"Of course," Caroline replied with a smile as she picked up the spelling bee word list. "But don't talk with your mouth full."

Caroline and Nicola were so proud that Flora qualified for the regional spelling bee competition. She didn't know it but her brother, William, was going to attend. He won the regional when he was thirteen but lost in the semi-final round at the national competition. Caroline was experiencing a strong sense of déjà vu helping her prepare and she loved every minute of it.

Nicola swept in just in time to bundle everyone into the car and make it to the competition on time. As Caroline drove, Nicola did a final run through of some of the words Flora still stumbled over. Good luck kisses and hugs were bestowed on the nervous contestant before the proud mums found William who was tasked with holding seats for them.

"I'm so touched you came to support your sister," Caroline said as she hugged him hard. His acceptance of Flora from the start meant the world to her, especially since Lawrence, busy with his own kids, rarely acknowledged her existence. "Helping her prepare brought back so many happy memories of doing this with you."

"It's great to see the family tradition continuing," William replied. "How's Gigi?"

"She's settled. But I'm ready for her to move in so I can stop all this shuttling back and forth to see her."

"How do you feel about the move," he inquired of Nicola.

"I think it will be great to have her with us. She was always easy to have around when she'd visit from the States and we didn't see as much of her as I would have liked after she moved back here a few years ago," she said with a smile as she met his eyes. "It struck me after she fell that she's the only grandparent Flora has left so I want Flora to have as much time with her as she can."

Caroline loved how selfless and supportive Nicola was when it came to Flora and Gigi. She squeezed her wife's hand in thanks as the lights dimmed and the spelling bee got underway.

The first few rounds went by very slowly; all the contestants spelled their words correctly. By the fourth round, the words were growing harder and kids started to fall one by one. Through it all, Flora clung on, managing words like 'hospice' and 'juggernaut'. When there only three contestantants left, Flora was given a word she struggled with during her practices but sailed through 'dinghies' thanks to all her preparation.

About an hour and a half into the competition, it was down to just Flora and a boy from a nearby school. He missed his word and Flora was given hers. If she missed it, they would each go on to another word. If she spelled it correctly, she would win. As the moderator gave her the word, Caroline nervously grabbed Nicola's hand as Flora's word was one they had not practiced.

Flora began by asking for its derivation but when she asked for the word to be used in a sentence, her proud mums noticed the glint in her eyes and realized she wasn't stalling for time but was prolonging the moment. Then she spelled it, "Grundyism. G-r-u-n-d-y-i-s-m. Grundyism." The audience broke out in applause as the moderator confirmed her spelling.

Caroline's heart burst with pride as Flora was declared the winner and had a gold medal on a blue ribbon draped around her neck. As the child bounced off the stage and into her waiting arms, Caroline felt pangs of sadness that Kate wasn't there to share in the victory. It was something she felt each time Flora seemed to blossom in ways that would have made Kate proud. She wondered if Kate was looking down on Flora at that moment. She hoped so.

* * *

After eventually calming Flora down enough to tuck her into bed, Caroline wearily climbed into bed beside Nicola, who was reading Marcus' latest report. Realizing Caroline looked pensive, she put the report and her readers on the night stand and rolled over to fully look at Caroline.

"I see the wheels turning in that pretty head of yours. Whatcha thinking?" Nicola asked.

"I'm trying to figure out how a twelve year old knows a word like Grundyism. It wasn't on any of her lists. Do you think she's been picked on at school? I hate to think she's gotten any treatment like Lawrence did because of Kate and me. I'd like to think society has moved forward since then," Caroline said quietly.

Nicola wriggled closer to her wife and gathered her in her arms, cradling her tenderly. She took a quick mental inventory of Flora's behavior of late and dismissed the concern. In an effort to soothe Caroline's fears, she said, "She's happy and open and I'm sure she'd tell us if anything like that were going on. Besides, I doubt any other kids her age would know that word."

"You're probably right, but then again it sounds like something a parent could have said and it could have filtered down through a classmate." After all her years at Sulgrave, Caroline knew how cruel both parents and kids could be. She was thankful that up until now Flora was blessed with good friends and a supportive environment at school.

"I think you're worrying for nothing," she said as she placed a tender kiss on her lips. "Tomorrow's a work day. We'd better get some sleep or we'll be dead on our feet. What an exciting night. If you're still concerned in the morning, we can ask her over breakfast."

"You're probably right." Caroline kissed Nicola good night and they drifted off to sleep curled up in each other's arms.

* * *

The next morning, as Flora ate her cornflakes, Caroline sipped her coffee and told her again how proud she was of her the night before. Nicola breezed in at that moment and instantly echoed the sentiment.

"But what I want to know is where did you learn the word Grundyism? It wasn't on any of your work sheets," Nicola inquired, taking the conversation where she knew Caroline wanted it to go.

"Gigi gave me an old book of Mum's a couple of weeks ago. I asked her why there were words underlined on some of the pages and she said Mum would underline the ones she didn't know and look them up in the dictionary. It was one of the words she marked so I Googled it."

Caroline turned her back on them to wipe a tear that instantly formed upon hearing the story, hoping neither would see it. "Would you show me the book after school," Caroline quietly asked as she realized it was about time to hustle Flora to the bus stop. Mornings like this she was glad for school uniforms as it prevented all sorts of wardrobe drama and helped them leave on time.

As she returned to the house, she wasn't surprised to find Nicola waiting for her just inside the front door.

"Come here," Nicola said gently. Caroline wordlessly stepped into her waiting arms, resting her head on Nicola's right shoulder as she slumped into the comforting hug she really needed. Caroline loved Nicola for her understanding when it was clear Kate was on her mind; she wasn't confident that if their positions were reversed she could be so devoid of jealousy.

"I'd love to see Gigi's expression when you tell her about that book saving the day. Imagine, of all the words she could have gotten, she got one that Kate helped her learn."

"It's incredible isn't it," Caroline said as she choked back some tears again. "I often wonder what she sees and knows about Flora but it's clear her influence is ever-present."

"Yes, but so is yours my love. Think of her success in the science fair last month and all those words you've been running with her," she said as she kissed her squarely on the lips so the tips of their noses touched. It was one of Nicola's signature kisses when she wanted to drive home a point. It always made Caroline smile, no matter what her mood.

Nicola released her and stepped back to admire the form-fitting suit Caroline was wearing. She still knew how to dress for success and Nicola appreciated the view on her way out the door every morning. It gave her an image to cling to until she returns home each night.

"Besides, where do you think her love of shoes and clothes comes from?" Nicola teased.


	2. Chapter 2

"Are you alright in there," Caroline inquired as she knocked on the en-suite door with the knuckle of her left index finger.

"I'm _fine_ ," Nicola responded, but the edge in her voice told a different story. She let the hot water of the shower pound down over her as her heart raced. She was willing herself to be fine but it wasn't working.

"I know you're not," Caroline countered. "Talk to me." Nicola was asleep by the time Caroline returned home Friday night so there had been no chance to hear about her trip. She thought she returned home from dinner early enough to salvage part of their night, but she now feared Nicola went to bed as a way to avoid her.

"Later. It can wait."

"Maybe it can wait but I can't. You know I don't like it when things are strained between us," Caroline said with concern in her voice. She knew when Nicola bolted out of bed and into the en-suite without their usual lazy Saturday morning snuggle she was in for a day of silence if she didn't push the issue.

Nicola took her time in the shower hoping Caroline would take the hint and go downstairs to make them some coffee. She wanted to avoid the confrontation that was building until she had the words she needed and was able to say them without sounding petty. She stood under the showerhead, wishing the pulsing hot water would wash away the emotions she didn't want to verbalize.

Caroline thought about heading down to start breakfast but didn't want to let whatever was bothering Nicola fester any longer. What she really wanted to do was barge into the bathroom but didn't want Nicola to feel cornered. Nicola rarely blew her stack, but when she did, Caroline knew from experience that cornering her to get her to do so was never a good idea.

She considered sitting on the bed to wait for her to finish but she needed to pace the bedroom as her nerves were too frazzled for her to sit still. Things had not been going smoothly for them even before the trip and now she worried that the situation was more than just a temporary disconnect because of how hectic their schedules had been since Ginika moved in with them two months ago. Flora's non-stop studying for the spelling bee also had their equilibrium off balance.

When Nicola was just about out of hot water, she turned the water off and slid the shower door open. She watched the steam that had collected near the ceiling rain down into the cooler air below that was disturbed by the movement of the shower door. It reminded her of the way the tan foam cascades down into a pint of Guinness; it was a sight she loved to watch on the rare occasions she ordered one.

She looked up at the wallpaper in the corner and realized it was curling further away from the wall than before and instantly felt guilty for not using the exhaust fan. They were long overdue to repaper the room but hadn't made time to look at samples as Ginika's needs seemed to fill what little spare time they had the past few weeks.

After toweling her hair and running a brush through it, she finally alighted from the bathroom and stepped into the bedroom; she wasn't surprised to find Caroline waiting for her. Wrapped in nothing more than a towel, Nicola passed her, on the way to the dresser, without making any eye contact. Caroline noticed her skin was red from the unusually long, hot shower.

Nicola picked up her bottle of moisturizer and started to cream her arms. Without looking up, she said, "We really shouldn't put off repapering that room any longer. It's starting to look shabby. Shabbier."

Not willing to be derailed from her mission, Caroline responded, "What's going on? Is it something I've done?" Caroline moved to the bed to perch on the corner of it so Nicola would have to walk past her when she finished at the dresser. It was the perfect spot to pivot to watch Nicola as she nervously flitted about the room.

"It's more like something you haven't done," Nicola began as she bent over to rub moisturizer into her legs. After what felt like an eternity, she looked directly at Caroline.

"I don't understand."

"I know it's a little late to be saying this but you never really asked me if I was okay with Ginika moving in. William did, but you never did."

"I thought we discussed it," she said defensively. "And you told William you were fine with it."

"No, we didn't. Not really. And what was I going to say when William asked? When you told me your plan to have her convalesce here for a couple of weeks, you didn't leave me any room to object. But I understood it was going to be temporary," she explained. "Now that she's all but recovered, I'm wondering how much longer she is going to be staying with us."

"How long have you been feeling like this? Why didn't you say anything sooner? I thought we were on the same page with this." Caroline's emotions were all over the place.

"Well, when I got back from Germany, I thought we'd have our usual homecoming ritual, especially since I didn't get my traditional sendoff, but it seems Gigi took priority yet again. I know how petty that makes me sound but I'm tired of feeling like I'm playing second fiddle."

"Oh, Nicola, I'm sorry you feel that way. She can't drive yet so that's why I offered to take her to that dinner and they insisted I stay." Caroline was becoming equal parts mortified and pissed.

"Why didn't you send her in an Uber last night? You've been putting her before us for the past two months."

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize. How can I make it up to you?" Nicola could see the contrition now growing in Caroline's baby blues.

"Just tell me there's a plan for her to go back to her own flat."

Caroline moved to Nicola and took the moisturizer from her. "Let me rub some into your back. Lie down on the bed so I can do it properly."

Nicola grinned at her. "I can't tell if that's an evasion or a peace offering."

"If I'm honest, it's a little bit of both," Caroline confessed as Nicola's smile faded. "I don't want her to feel pushed out and I really don't see how she can move back to her place until she can drive again."

"Well, what did the doctor say on her last visit? When do you think she'll be cleared to drive?" Nicola moved to lay face down in the center of the bed as Caroline moved to straddle Nicola, eventually resting her bottom on Nicola's. Caroline lowered the towel to give her better access to the freckled back that was returning to its natural shade of pale as the heat from the shower slowly dissipated.

"Actually, Gigi asked the same question and asked about whether she would be cleared to go home without any assistance. The doctor thinks maybe next week. My guess is that about the time of the next round of the spelling bee she should be green lighted."

Caroline thoroughly massaged the cream into Nicola's shoulders. She could feel her wife relaxing under her ministrations but realized it probably had more to do with her reassuring words than the movement of her hands.

"I know it makes me sound callous but I'm relieved to hear she wants to get back to her place. She's been a fine houseguest but it's thrown our routine off to have her here for so long. She's been easy enough to have around in many ways but…" Nicola's words started to fail her.

"But it's been a constant diet of Kate talk, hasn't it?" Caroline hadn't expected it but it seemed as though all Gigi wanted to do was reminisce to Flora about Kate's childhood. "Even I'm surprised at how much she talks about Kate to Flora. She never really did much of that before."

"I think maybe this recent health hiccup has her feeling a little desperate to make sure Flora knows as much as she can about Kate. And I get it."

"But?"

"But I guess it just hurt when I heard Flora talking on the phone about her 'real mum'. I know it's pathetic but I'm a little jealous Kate gets to be perfect in her mind since she has never had to nag her eat her vegetables, stop texting or clean her room, know what I mean?"

Caroline finished massaging the cream into her back and lay down on the bed so she could face Nicola. She wordlessly took Nicola's left hand in her right hand and played with the gold wedding ring before bringing it to her lips to kiss it. When she finished, she turned Nicola's hand over and kissed her palm.

"You are as much her 'mum' as I am and I don't want you to ever doubt that. Just the other day I heard her bragging to William about how you have helped her study for the spelling bee. She thinks that has given her a big advantage, particularly since you've helped solidify her understanding of how root words work." She moved her hand to clasp Nicola's, threading their fingers together in the process before giving it a grateful squeeze.

"Well, it's nothing compared to William's help with the obscure things that could make all the difference. Do you know that he showed her how words with Japanese origins likely include a K instead of a C and an O instead of an A. Where did he learn that?" Without letting go of her hand, Nicola rolled onto her side, fully facing Caroline.

"Don't look at me. All I did when he was competing was run words with him until I thought there wasn't a single word left we hadn't learned. I don't ever remember him being as devoted to reading the Dictionary as she is. She's taken this to a whole new level. Anyway, real parents are the ones who are here day in and day out as you've been for her since we moved to London." She leaned in for a chaste kiss, which resulted in Nicola pulling her into a full embrace that let her know the worst was over.

"I'm sorry I didn't properly talk this through more with you before I set the wheels in motion to move her in. I didn't think it would be for this long," Caroline confessed. "Flora comes back from Greg's around noon. Why don't we take advantage of having her here and slip out tonight for a romantic dinner so I can try to make it up to you? We could even stop at the store and pick up some wallpaper books on the way to dinner."

"Hmmm. As long as the night ends with make-up sex I'm in. A girl could go mad waiting for you." Nicola kissed Caroline square on the lips so their noses touched to emphasize her point. She wasn't trying to make Caroline feel guilty but the truth was that since Ginika moved in, Caroline would crawl into bed most nights too tired for anything more than a cuddle that would quickly end with her falling asleep, repeatedly leaving Nicola feeling lonely, disappointed and more than a bit frustrated.

"Why do we need to wait for tonight for that to happen?" Caroline said in a husky voice as the sight of her half-naked wife suddenly registered in her mind. She deftly pulled off Nicola's towel and deposited it on the floor to emphasize her point.


	3. Chapter 3

Ginika heard the shower in the master suite turn on earlier than she expected so she decided to head to the kitchen to get a start on breakfast. She had been lying in bed reading her iPad, trying to be quiet so as to not disturb Caroline and Nicola so they could sleep in. Since she was dying for a cup of tea the sound of the shower was a welcome one.

For the first time since she could remember, she awoke feeling almost pain free and energetic. The stiffness that had plagued her hip for months seemed to be giving way finally so she wanted to do something useful for a change. She started by setting the table in the breakfast nook. She was enjoying the ease of being able to maneuver without a cane when in the house and was pleased she was finally steady enough on her feet to be able to carry small items again.

About ten minutes after she heard the shower stop, she realized neither Caroline nor Nicola had joined her in the kitchen. She thought it unusual but since she didn't want to start the eggs until she saw the whites of their eyes, she decided to pass the time by having a second cuppa and making a list of all the things she thought she would need to attend to before returning to her flat.

Although she was grateful for all Nicola and Caroline had done for her, she liked living alone. She couldn't remember the last time she lived with someone. Part of what attracted her to Bernie was that he too valued his independence and didn't want them to move in together. When she told him she was retiring from teaching and was thinking about returning to England to be closer to Flora, he was sweet enough to ask her to reconsider and move in with him. It was an offer even Bernie knew there was no risk of her accepting but she appreciated it nonetheless.

First on the list was getting her car checked to make sure it was in proper running order; it hadn't been used in over two months and she assumed the battery was dead. She knew the doctor didn't want her to drive yet but she was ready. She was more than ready. She hated limitations. She didn't really do limitations but had only obeyed instructions the last two months because of Caroline's hawk-like eyes. The next agenda item was to ready the flat by getting it cleaned, followed by getting her mail redirected there as well.

She looked at the clock and decided it wasn't too early to call Chester, her dependable handyman, to arrange for him to have the car serviced; she was anxious to set her plan to reestablish her independence in motion before Caroline or anyone could talk her out of it.

With that task completed, she started on a list for the grocery store. After taking the last slug of tea in her mug, she scribbled a note to Caroline and Nicola to let them know she wanted to make them breakfast and to wait for her.

Tucked away under the covers, Caroline and Nicola were reveling in the afterglow when they heard Ginika turn on the shower. Caroline teased Nicola, "Glad she waited a bit or she wouldn't have had any hot water."

Nicola first responded with a chuckle. "Care to join me in the shower when she's done?" she said with a crooked smile and a raised eyebrow. "It would help conserve the hot water."

"You know, we said we would remodel that bathroom when we bought the house but it's been eight years now and we keep putting it off. Why don't we remodel it rather than just repaper it?" Caroline suggested. "You're right, it is looking shabby. Shabbier actually."

"Wouldn't it just be easier to move?" Nicola retorted. She dreaded the idea of having the bathroom out of commission and having workmen traipsing through their bedroom for weeks on end.

"Come on. It could be our tenth anniversary gift to each other. As soon as Ginika returns to her flat we'll have the guest bath back. It won't be so bad."

"Are you sure you wouldn't rather have an eternity ring? That's more of a traditional gift and doesn't come with a layer of construction dust everywhere," Nicola half teased. In secret, she'd always wanted one and had been planning to get them a matching pair but the expense of a new bathroom would scuttle that idea.

"New tile and flooring, new fixtures, better lighting, it won't be that bad, you'll see," Caroline said as she began her campaign in earnest. "I oversaw all the construction on Conway. All it takes is giving the workers the proper motivation to get the job done."

"And what kind of incentive would that be?" She considered her wife dubiously as she waited for the explanation.

Caroline giggled before admitting, "I always threatened to own the dangly bits of their anatomy if they didn't finish on time and on budget."

Nicola couldn't help but laugh at the image as Caroline wasn't one to make idle threats and was fully capable of making good on such a promise.

"Better lighting. Does that mean no more shadows on my face as I'm trying to decide if it's an errant hair or a fine wrinkle when I'm plucking my eyebrows?" she said as she began to resign herself to the idea. In truth, she had a hard time denying Caroline anything.

"You too? I thought that was just me," Caroline commiserated. "We could even have one of those lighted magnifying mirrors installed."

"Now you have my complete attention. Those things are one of the best parts about my hotel in Germany."

She knew Nicola always gave names to her bigger projects at work so she said, "We can call it the 'Magnify My Love Project'."

"With a name like that, how can I say no," she said with a hearty laugh, appreciating that she was breathing easier than when she awoke angry with Caroline. All seemed right in her world again, despite the impending fear of giving over control of their private world to contractors. "I'll call Angela later to get the name of the contractor they used for their sunroom renovation."

Caroline closed her eyes and wordlessly snuggled closer to Nicola. After a few minutes, the shower in the guest bath stopped and Nicola extricated herself from Caroline. As she swung her legs off her side of the bed, she said, "Come on, let's get a move on if we're to start bathroom shopping. Last one in the shower scrubs the other's back first."

Their mutual feeling of contentment abruptly ended when they heard a crashing sound coming from Ginika's room.


	4. Chapter 4

The waiter set the long-awaited glass in front of Nicola. She considered it for a beat before using the cocktail straw to swirl its contents. She inhaled its bouquet just before taking her first sip. She winced as it harshly hit her palate; the ice hadn't had time to melt enough into the drink to open up its nuances. She placed it back down and smiled at her wife. That's when the exhaustion truly hit her and started showing in her face.

Watching her intently from across the table, Caroline smiled back. She knew that look. "It's been a day, hasn't it?"

"It certainly has. The jet lag isn't helping but at least we're on the other side of it all," she replied as she took another sip of her scotch. "Are you as tired as I am?"

"Yup, but I think sticking with our plan to go out was a good idea. I'm feeling a little revived already," Caroline said as she raised her wine glass to clink Nicola's.

About nine hours earlier their lives came crashing down, literally. Nicola and Caroline grabbed their robes before dashing to Ginika's room after the sound of her hitting the floor registered with them.

Ginika heard them coming and tried to call out that she was okay but she couldn't quite catch her breath to utter anything audible. She was understandably embarrassed by the fuss they made the instant they saw her. She thought that once she got her wind back she'd be fine.

"Tripped over the cat," she managed to say breathily. As she went down, she hit the corner of her nightstand, scattering everywhere her books and other items Caroline brought from her flat to make her feel more at home. Her Murano glass ring holder lay shattered but she wasn't yet in a position to notice. At least her prized pansy coaster from Kate was unscathed. Pansies were her favorite flower and Kate had made it for her as a Mother's Day present when she was a teen.

Caroline reached the door first and was almost tripped too by the skittish cat bolting out of the room the second she opened the door. "You gave us quite a fright," said Caroline as she and Nicola stepped over the clutter to reach her.

"Don't try to get up yet," cautioned Nicola. "Let's make sure nothing's broken first." She noticed Ginika wince in pain as she tried to roll onto her back. It was then that she saw the look of fear in Ginika's eyes as they met hers. "On second thought, maybe we should just call an ambulance."

"Ginika?" said Caroline, trying to keep the panic out of her voice, as she realized Ginika wasn't breathing quite right.

"Ambulance." It was the only word she could manage as she too realized the wind had fully been knocked out of her and it was growing harder for her catch her breath. From that point, the events of the morning progressed at a head-spinning pace.

When the EMS arrived, they diagnosed a probable cracked rib and punctured lung and whisked her off to A&E. After the ambulance left, Caroline and Nicola threw on some clothes and followed in their car, pausing in the kitchen long enough to notice Ginika had set the table and laid out food to cook for their breakfast. They put everything away and grabbed some drinks and snacks to take to the hospital as they hadn't eaten yet and it was approaching 10 am. They knew they would be in for a long day by her side and didn't want to have to brave the hospital cafeteria.

They called Greg from the car to ask him to keep Flora another night and then stayed by Ginika's side until she was stabilized, formally admitted and tucked away in her semi-private room. For about the third time that day, Ginika insisted they leave her for a proper meal and since it was after 5 pm, they didn't disagree.

"I say dinner out, you say where," Nicola declared as she climbed in behind the wheel and buckled her seat belt. They hadn't identified their romantic destination for that night before Ginika's unfortunate fall. Although Nicola was simply too mentally tired to participate in choosing the restaurant she still wanted to salvage something of their alone time.

Caroline turned to face Nicola, flashing the smile she reserved only for her wife, as she laid her head back against her headrest. The look was the only answer Nicola needed as she pulled out of the parking lot and headed to their special date spot. It was theirs and theirs alone as they never brought anyone else with them so the memories they made there each time were also theirs and theirs alone.

Traffic was light so they arrived at their destination without any delay. As they settled in with their drinks in the small dining room in the back of the cellarette they were pleased to see they were early enough that they had the cozy room to themselves. It was a blessing in disguise because when the room was full sometimes the noise level could make it difficult to talk.

Nicola set her drink down and reached for Caroline's hand in an effort to reestablish the connection they started that morning. Even after all these years she marveled at how their hands fit together so snugly.

"At least it wasn't a broken hip this time," Caroline said in an effort to console her wife as she knew her unspoken fear was that the fall could set back Ginika's timeline to return to her own flat.

"What if that darned cat had tripped her on the stairs?" Nicola noticed her drink seemed to be disappearing quicker than usual so she switched to sipping her glass of water. She always called her 'that darned cat' when she misbehaved.

"Let's not think that way or we'll drive ourselves crazy," Caroline said as she realized the waiter was about to return for their food order. She opened her menu and then wondered why she bothered when she always ordered the same thing. It was part of her date night tradition for this place. Even though their first night there had a rocky ending, it had nothing to do with the food or the wait staff and somehow they made their way back for a second time. That dinner went so smoothly that the bad memories of their first night didn't stop it from becoming 'their place'.

"To think that she was starting to get back to herself and now she's had another setback just seems unfair," Nicola whined.

"My guess is that she'll go to rehab when she's released which will let us give Flora our undivided attention to help her prep this week before the spelling bee next week."

"In the crush of things today I forgot about the Bee," Nicola confessed. "I don't mind admitting I'll be glad when that's over."

"Me too," Caroline commiserated. "Some nights I just see vocabulary words in my dreams. I can't imagine what hers are like."

"She's put so much pressure on herself to do well I'm worried about how she'll handle it all but it's been fun to watch her be so excited," Nicola said as a proud expression replaced her tired one.

At that moment, Caroline noticed Angela and her sister, Jaime, being seated in the front dining room. They hadn't looked into the back dining room as they passed its entrance so she had a moment of hesitation before pointing them out to Nicola. Although she was looking forward to their first dinner alone in months, Caroline suggested to Nicola that she could invite them to join them if she wished.

Taking care of Ginika had left them very little time to comfort Angela as much as they should have. She had been bravely soldiering on since Madeline died from breast cancer months earlier; they were thankful Jaime had been there to keep her from being alone at the weekends and Nicola tried to check in on her regularly at work.

Caroline, on the other hand had been a little distant from the start because watching Angela grieve at the funeral gave her flashbacks to Kate's funeral. It was a time in her life she didn't want to reflect upon, despite all the years that had passed and the happiness she found with Nicola. She hoped Angela hadn't noticed her absence and if she did she had just written it off to the demands of Ginika taking priority. Seeing her from the distance and realizing how thin she had become since the funeral instantly made her feel guilty that she hadn't been there for Angela like she knew she should have been.

Following Nicola's lead, she stood and they walked together to Angela's table. After greetings were exchanged, they extended the offer to come join them.

"I didn't know you two came here," Angela responded. "It's a little out of the way from your hood, isn't it?"

"You told me about it years ago," Nicola nudged her. She watched Angela smile as the penny dropped.

"Ahhh, yes, the scene of the first rejection." Angela couldn't help blurt it out and then felt a little guilty for doing so as she watched Caroline blush and shift uncomfortably about in her stance. She had suggested the place to Nicola as the ideal spot to propose. Suddenly, her newly minted widowhood gave her better insight into why Caroline turned Nikki down a couple of times before finally popping the question herself. She reached out and took Caroline's hand to give it a supportive sisterly squeeze. She had been pretty hard on her for hurting her friend back then but over the years grew to love Caroline just as much as Nicola.

"Why don't you join us for a drink but have dinner on your own?" suggested Angela, cognizant that Nikki had been away for the last two weeks and that before she left she had been struggling to get Caroline's attention. She was pleased to see them out on a date and didn't want to interrupt it, despite how happy she was to have something else to talk about other than how much she missed Madeline.

"Nope. We can have a nightcap on our own at home but we won't take 'no' for answer," Caroline said as she squeezed her hand back in response and gave her a supportive sisterly smile.


	5. Chapter 5

Caroline rolled over and glanced at the clock, knowing before looking it was past 5:00 am. She knew this because the volume of the birds chirping outside told her so. She wondered if it was a rule of nature that they not sing before 5:00 am because they never seemed to do so. She was accustomed to opening her eyes about 4:00 am most school days. Some mornings she could will herself back to sleep only to reawaken with the rising level of the birdsong just after 5:00 am. She knew any attempt to fall back to sleep on this day would be fruitless so she didn't even try. Although it was a Friday, it wasn't a school day. Instead, it was the first day after Flora's last school day and that realization brought Caroline equal measures of satisfaction and trepidation as the sound of the birds reminded her that their nest would soon be empty.

She eased herself out of bed quietly so as not to disturb Nicola and slipped downstairs where she turned off the house alarm and went outside to retrieve the daily newspaper Nicola insisted they have delivered. Caroline preferred getting her news on her tablet since she disliked having to deal with recycling the newsprint, but on days like today, when there was an article she knew she'd want to keep, she had to admit she was glad Nicola had won that small battle.

She flipped on the kitchen light switch as she entered the room and pulled the pocket door closed so any noise she made wouldn't travel through the rest of the house. She was feeling wistful and wanted to extend her alone time as long as possible before the hustle and bustle of readying breakfast for their houseguests began.

She took the damp plastic wrapper off the paper that kept the morning dew on the grass from ruining it when it landed there; she didn't understand why the paperboy could never get it on the front steps or at least on the walkway. She tossed the paper on the island before turning to discard the wrapper in the bin. Then she surveyed her kitchen; there were dirty dishes and glasses from the night before scattered on the counter. She smiled to herself as she realized that, after all these years, she could finally sleep without worrying about the mess that awaited her in the morning. She rolled up the sleeves on her robe and started to set everything to rights before doing anything else. For a brief moment she wondered if she really was 'mellowing' as Lawrence and Flora loved to tease but knew that if she were she might have taken the time to start the coffee maker before tackling the mess.

When the counter was cleaned to her satisfaction, Caroline finally opened the paper while she waited for the coffee to finish brewing. She immediately turned to the local section in search of the article on last night's scholastic awards banquet. She couldn't help but smile at the picture of Flora holding the local female student of the year award staring back at her.

From the time she was a toddler, it was clear Flora was a very bright child. She all but taught herself to read when she was three. She started piano lessons at age five and Caroline believed that her learning to read music at such a young age helped her excel in math. She had Kate's ear for languages and was top in her form in both French and Spanish. She had a keen understanding of the sciences thanks to Caroline's tutoring her. They suspected she was a contender for the top award in any of those subjects, but her receiving the overall award was a bit of an unexpected surprise.

Reading about the banquet made Caroline reflect on how her life sometimes seemed to be a series of banquets. She recalled all the sports banquets for Lawrence and the academic ones for William. Celia was always so good about attending those events as was Alan after he joined the family. She missed having them there last night and knew they would have been as proud of Flora as they were of the boys.

Caroline's thoughts then moved to Hunter and his wife, Penelope, who had become surrogate grandparents to Flora and were kind enough to attend last night. She knew from experience how boring those functions could be and was so touched by their presence. She made a mental note to send them a thank you note for being a part of Flora's big night as her thoughts briefly flashed back to the first Unilever Banquet she attended, the one at Wimbledon the summer after Kate passed. Little did she know then how pivotal the events of that night would prove to her life and she smiled at the memory of arriving late to Hunter's retirement banquet and how he forgave them when he learned the reason.

Aside from last night's, her favorite banquet to date had been the Spelling Bee Banquet the year Flora was the grand champion. The accolades lauded on her were so well-deserved given how hard she studied for it. She placed in the top ten her first year in the competition, having stumbled on the word _eudemonic_ , but was victorious the following year with the word _elucubration_. Caroline still didn't know how to spell either of those words and was hard pressed to give their proper definitions when asked as she sometimes confused the two words. She realized the night of that banquet that there wasn't anything Flora couldn't accomplish if she set her mind to it so she wasn't truly surprised when she was named the Female Student of the Year.

There was one last school scholarship banquet tonight, immediately before the graduation ceremony, and Caroline wondered briefly what banquets might follow in the years to come; perhaps some for her grandchildren. She so preferred the banquets where her kids were the stars to the boring rubber chicken dinners she and Nicola seemed to be constantly attending for work and local charities.

Caroline was about half-way through reading the coverage of the awards ceremony when Nicola entered the kitchen.

"Good morning. Thought I'd give you a hand with breakfast for the masses," she said as she reached for the coffee pot.

"Morning." Caroline merely responded without looking in her direction.

Realizing the pot was still full, she pulled two mugs from the cupboard, filled both and placed one in front of Caroline. She then rested against that counter and considered Caroline who not only didn't seem to register her presence in any measurable way but who also didn't seem to be focused on the newspaper in her hands.

"You look lost in thought," Nicola remarked after a few minutes of silence. She wondered what was preoccupying her and figured it was Kate as she heard her say her name in her sleep last night. "Thinking about Kate?"

"No. Thinking about you actually." She said as she closed the paper and looked up at her wife as a grateful smile emerged on her face. Suddenly, it became clear she knew something Nicola didn't. "Did you hear any of Flora's interview with Eric Gentry last night?"

"No, why?"

"Look at the second page of the local section," she said as she handed Nicola the newspaper.

Nicola took the stool next to Caroline's and flipped the paper open to Gentry's articles on the students honored at last night's banquet. Caroline pointed to the one featuring Flora and Nicola began to read it aloud.

 _Flora G. McKenzie-Dawson, this year's Valedictorian of The Westminster School, received the All-County Female Student of the Year Award which is bestowed upon the best all-round scholar from a public or private school. She is the daughter of Dr. Caroline McKenzie-Dawson and Nicola S. Moffatt. She will be matriculating into Cambridge where she intends to double major in Economics and Spanish. The selection committee noted she was the most accomplished of all this year's nominees, having received nominations for a record five subject areas. A winner of the National Spelling Bee at age 14 and a semi-finalist in this year's Regional Science Fair, many expected she would read English or Chemistry at university. When asked about her future plans, she said she hopes to obtain an MBA from Harvard and then work for the World Economic Council where she hopes to encourage multi-national companies to expand their operations into developing nations. When asked how she became interested in such a lofty goal, she said, 'My Mum, Nicola, has been taking me along on some of her business trips for years and as much as I've enjoyed seeing the world, I've enjoyed listening to her focus on the symbiosis of her company's interests and the economic health of the communities where their plants are located. I hope to do some of what she does for the more impoverished countries where there are untapped work forces to be found.'_

Nicola swallowed hard as she set the newspaper down on the counter without finishing the article. Caroline silently got up off her stool, moved behind her and gently spun Nicola's stool around so she could look into her eyes. She tenderly wiped away the tears she saw starting to fall. Nicola, overcome with emotion, wrapped her arms tightly around Caroline as she pressed her face into the comfort of Caroline's body.

"I've sometimes doubted my influence on Flora, but I've never doubted yours my love," Caroline began, before pausing to kiss the top of her head. "I admit that I hoped she'd follow me into the sciences, but looks like she's got a higher calling. Your feeding her wanderlust on all those business trips clearly made her think of the whole world as hers to change and I couldn't be prouder of either of you."

"I've often…I've always…I've wished…" Nicola started but just couldn't find the words to express how moved she was to learn that she might have affected Flora's life as much as she did hers. When she finally found her voice again, she quietly said, "I'd like to think we've both done Kate proud."

"I dreamt about her last night," Caroline confessed.

"I suspected as much," came the soft reply. She suddenly didn't feel like pressing her for details so she merely said, "I hope it was a good one."

Before Caroline could respond, Nicola released her hold on her and reached up to grab her robe by the lapels and pulled her down into a slow, prolonged kiss that said more than any words could at that moment. When it ended, Nicola thumbed the tired fabric of Caroline's robe and smiled at the memory of giving it to her during her first visit to Conway. She smiled to herself as she noticed the belt was tied with just one loop. It was how Caroline always tied it and she suspected she might be the only person in the world who ever noticed that endearing quirk of hers. "I can't believe you still have this old robe. It's looking more than a little worse for the wear. Maybe once the nest is empty we should take a Spa vacation and get you a new one."

"I'm not ready for her to fly the coop," Caroline responded honestly. "It seems like just yesterday I was looking forward to Lawrence finishing his schooling and tried to talk Kate out of having a baby as I was more than ready for an empty nest. Now that's about the last thing I'm ready for. Thank God she didn't listen to me."

Nicola she stood to face Caroline eye to eye. "At least she's not going too far from home and I'll bet she'll be back whenever she needs her washing done and wants a home cooked meal." The memory of William doing just that made Caroline realize Nicola was right and they would keep their close connection with Flora, even if they didn't see her everyday.

"Perhaps we should revisit the idea of retiring," Caroline offered. She had already been thinking about the banquet she wanted to plan for Nicola to celebrate when the time came.

With the bad timing of an awkward court jester, Gillian picked that moment to walk into the kitchen. "Morning. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."

"Nope. We were just enjoying a little peace before today's events get into full swing. We should be heading to the school around 4:00 pm so I thought a big breakfast around 10:00 am is in order. It feels so wonderful to have the house full again," Caroline said with a contented smile as she moved to pour Gillian a cup of coffee. "The milk and sugar are on the counter; it's a little stronger than usual I'm afraid because I needed something extra to get me going today."


	6. Chapter 6

One of the perks of Flora being valedictorian was that her family received reserved seats for the graduation ceremony. While the families of all the other students, except those with speaking parts such as the salutatorian and the class officers, had to queue up at least two hours before the ceremony to get decent seats, the tight-knit clan did not have to scurry for their seats. It turned out to be a huge blessing since Ginika now needed a Zimmer Frame to get around and could not have waited in line or moved quickly once the doors opened.

Caroline had trouble containing her excitement as she headed to their seats and orchestrated where everyone in the family was to sit. William had been tasked with helping Ginika navigate down the aisle. Once settled into her seat, Ginika was relieved she could see the stage without any obstruction as she had shrunk a little over the years and now, even on her best day, had trouble seeing over her steering wheel of her car on the rare occasion she drove it.

Greg, who planned to videotape Flora's speech, as well as her walking across the stage to receive her diploma, was equally relieved. Like Ginika, he felt a small lump in his throat every time he thought about his little girl being old enough to graduate and when he thought about her graduating at the top of her class, that lump doubled in size.

As soon as Flora's cheering section was settled in, they began looking at their programs while Caroline scanned the auditorium to locate some of the parents she got to know and like over the years Flora attended The Westminster School. When she enrolled her, she worried that Flora might not be readily accepted but her transition there was seamless and she credited that to the strong head teacher, Mrs. Edwards, whom she came to think of as a kindred spirit. She stood and moved around the rows immediately behind her, exchanging hugs and congratulations with the equally proud mums and dads she came to really enjoyed getting to know at various school functions.

When the lights started to dim, she returned to her seat and bobbed her head until she spied Flora leading her class into the auditorium. About ten minutes into the ceremony, Caroline realized it was the first graduation she had attended where she was just a parent and not responsible to run the show. It also struck her that she was more nervous than she was at any of the ones she presided over at Sulgrave.

The whole event seemed to be washing over her, until she heard Flora's introduction and watched her move to the podium. Caroline gasped quietly when she realized how much Flora looked like Kate at that moment; perhaps it was that she had the same elegant shoulders and slender neck, or perhaps it was because she had the same gait to her walk. But one thing that was unmistakable was that she had the same twinkle in her eyes. Caroline felt a pit in her stomach from the sadness that Kate wasn't there to share yet another important milestone as knew Kate would be bursting with pride. She briefly wondered if Flora thought much about her absence.

Sensing her rising emotions, Nicola reached over and grasped Caroline's hand, giving it a supportive squeeze. They knew Flora was nervous about delivering a speech before the filled to capacity crowd but neither had any knowledge of what she was actually planning to say. Despite how many times Flora talked with each of them to get ideas for it, she refused to share the speech with them, saying she wanted them to hear it for the first time with everyone else.

Flora's mums were all but giddy with anticipation and each swelled with pride at how confident she appeared as she scanned the audience with a level of composure beyond that of most students her age. She made eye contact with and flashed both of them her million pound smile just before she began speaking.

"Good evening classmates, teachers and, most importantly, parents. I'm humbled to be giving this speech and have to admit that when I was told I had to deliver an address, I had no idea where to begin so I started by asking Headmistress Edwards for advice. She suggested I do three things: give you my thoughts about what we've just accomplished and the next step awaiting us, put in a joke and keep it short. As I synthesized her suggestions, I turned to my parents for additional advice.

"My Mum, ever the scientist, suggested I talk to you about how we all started out like lumps of coal that were put under the constant pressures of schooling and growing up and that while it may have been a painful process at times, we've each turned into a multi-faceted diamond and we each need to continue to shine on as we've proven we're up to whatever challenges and pressures life may throw at us. Any of you who have attended her career day lecture about the sciences probably already heard her say it but she's right and it bears repeating. And yes, Mum, you heard that correctly, I just admitted that you were 'right' about something. But don't get too excited as that was really just my joke for Mrs. Edwards' benefit.

Flora looked directly at her mum and gave her a huge grin as the audience laughed at her remark. Nicola tilted her head so the side of her temple touched Caroline's as a means of connecting with her over the comment. It was something Nicola said to Caroline on their first Christmas Day together and she didn't know Caroline had used it in her presentations for the Foundation until just then. Caroline wiped a tear off her face with one hand as she gave Nicola's hand, which she had been holding, as squeeze with her other as she knew that Nicola would remember where she got the diamond story in the first place.

"Then I asked my other Mum, whose favorite pastime is gardening, what words of wisdom she would impart and she said that her best advice is that we should 'grow where we are planted.' We should make the most of every opportunity and not be afraid to put down roots and do all that we can to make our part of the world as beautiful as possible as it will lead to a more fulfilling life. She suggested that I remind you that even the smallest patch of dirt is capable of yielding the most beautiful plants if we remember to water and nurture them.

As Flora took a pause, Caroline looked at her wife and gently wiped an errant tear off of Nicola's cheek before turning her attention back to Flora on the stage as she started speaking again.

"My father's advice, however, was quite a bit different. He suggested that we shouldn't be too quick to want to put down roots. He compared leaving Westminster today to taking that first leap to explore our vast universe and all that awaits us. He reminded me that the first rule in Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is DON'T PANIC and that we shouldn't be afraid of anything life throws at us as we've all been well-prepared for our next journey by our years here at Westminster.

Caroline shifted in her seat as she couldn't imagine where the speech was going next but she noted that Flora had acknowledged all three of them. Nicola, on the other hand, shot Greg a laughing smile. He winked back in response as his face erupted with a proud and toothy grin.

"I think it was my Dad's advice that really made me realize what I actually want to say to you all. Remember how in the Hitchhiker's Guide they were on a quest to learn the meaning of life, the universe and everything and the answer was '42'? That's supposed to be the number from which all meaning could be derived. Well, my life in many ways is indeed defined by the number 42 as that was the age my mother, Kate, was on the day I was born, which was also happened to be the day she died.

"I don't say that as a means to draw your sympathies as I couldn't have asked for a more loving and wonderful family or a more magical childhood and I have my three parents to thank for helping me stand here before you today. But I also need to acknowledge my maternal grand mum, Gigi, who instilled in me some of the lessons she believed my mum would have. The number 42 is my reminder not to take any day for granted. Count your blessings everyday and you'll always find something every day to be joyful about, even in the hardest of times. Don't be afraid to live your life out loud and with no regrets as that's what my mum was best remembered for doing.

"Today, let's be joyful for the memories that we'll carry with us from our years here at Westminster and count as blessings our families and our teachers who have prepared us for the next step. And let's be sure to live our lives in the future with no regrets and seize each day as if it were our last.

"I realized that all the advice my parents gave me about this speech actually had a common thread. And that is that life is a series of starts and stops, triumphs and challenges and we should not shy away from any of it out of fear of failure as life truly begins at the end of our comfort zone. As we go forward looking for our places in the world let's put down our roots when the right opportunity presents itself and shine like the diamonds we are. And when all else fails, let's remember one of the other important rules for hitchhiking the galaxy and not forget to pack our towels."

From their seats in the front of the auditorium, Flora's family lead the applause that only ceased when Mrs. Edwards replaced her at the podium and congratulated her on a fine job. She asked her to remain by her side as she presented her with Westminster's top scholastic scholarship.

It was quite a bit after the ceremony ended that Flora was finally able to break from the endless picture taking with her friends and join her family that had been patiently waiting for her. She took turns accepting hugs and congratulations from her siblings, Ginika, Greg and Nicola, saving Caroline for last.

"I couldn't be prouder of you," Caroline said as they hugged so tightly Flora felt some of the air go out of her lungs.

"Was my speech alright? Was my joke okay?" It wasn't like Flora to need such reassurance, but Caroline was all too happy to provide it.

"You were terrific. I loved the way you wove it all together," she said as she pushed a lock of hair behind her daughter's ear. When she noticed Caroline used her tissue to wipe away another set of tears that were forming in her eyes, Nicola decided to insert herself into the tender moment to help keep it light.

"I'd say the speech hit all the right notes, but I noticed the one piece of advice you left out that I really hope you'll remember," she teased. Listening intently, Flora cocked her head, dubious about what Nicola was about say. "As you go out to make your way in the world, remember to call your mothers from time to time."


End file.
